He contently continued to play as staff streamed into the room for a palliative care course with a community nurse. When an employee at Village Green announced a few times to the resident it was time for lunch, he continued to play the music.

At that point, a staff member told the group the training session would be moved to another location in the home. After all, it is the resident’s home, she noted.

“I thought that was really nice,” says Suzie Taguchi, a registered nurse who is teaching a palliative care course at the Selby long-term care home.

She notes when the staff member made the announcement, no one objected and they began collecting their books and notepads to move to another room.

That made an impression on Suzie; a message that staff is “open-minded and progressive.” She notes Linda Pierce, the home’s administrator, introduced her to the OMNIway’s mission, vision and values. “I admired that.”

She has been pleased with the receptiveness of the mix of employees who are taking the Long-term Care Facility 30-hour Palliative Care Program. Suzie was hired through the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Community Care Access Centre and is a mentor who works in conjunction with the palliative care education co-ordinator.

“I think I’ve been blessed,” says Suzie. “There has been a lot of discussion. It’s not a lecture. They’ve participated a great deal.”

Twelve employees at Village Green in Selby are taking the course, including personal support workers (PSWs), registered nurses, registered practical nurses, the director of care and the home’s administrator. Suzie is leading staff through an introduction to palliative care, pain assessment and pain and symptom management along with handling loss and grief. Staff members take part in sessions every Thursday and there’s a component of theory and practical training in the course, 15 hours each.

Suzie strives to equip participants with the knowledge to build a strong palliative care team. Following the course which ends in December, she expects to continue to serve as a resource to staff. “We are hoping they will be the team to rely on each other.”